Both these Gulf countries have planned to reduce the number of expatriates. There are about 700,000 Indians in Kuwait and 2.8 million Indians in Saudi Arabia working in different sectors.

These countries are invoking their national laws to reduce the number of expatriates to create more job opportunities for the locals.

“This is not targeted as such against Indian workers, but against all overseas workers who have no longer valid or expired visas. Indians form a large section of expatriates and are most preferred,” said the Spokesperson in the Indian External Affairs Ministry, Syed Akbaruddin.

In Kuwait there are a number of expatriates who have entered the country as dometic workers. Some enter the country through a particular category of visa and take up jobs designed for a different category of visa which is not permitted under the national law.

“The Kuwaiti government have identified presence of some Indians who do not posses valid visas as per their law. We have appealed for humanitarian consideration and wanted a timeframe for the departure of Indian workers,” said Akbaruddin.

So far India has issued 1000 emergency certificates to Indian workers in Kuwait to facilitate their return. The Kuwaiti government has decided to pay air tickets to Mumbai. Air ticket from Mumbai onwards to the nearest airport of the destination of the Indian workers will be paid by the Indian Embassy in Kuwait through the Indian Workers Welfare Fund.

Regarding the situation in Saudi Arabia, Akbaruddin said : ”we have taken up the issue at political level. There was visits by the the the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalr Ravi, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed and TKA Nair from Prime Minister’s Office. They discussed the issue with the Saudi Labour Ministry. We asked for adequate timeframe for the expatriates to leave the country urged for humanitarian consideration,” said Akbaruddin.

Following this was the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister to Saudi Arabia.

The Indian Embassy has set up an office at Dhammam to assist the Indian expatriates. Round-the cloak help desk has been set up and 600 volunteers are pressed into the job. Non-teaching staff of Indian community schools are collecting data on Indian expatriates and are helping them to facilitate changes in visa categories so that Indian workers can continue to stay and work there.

So far 72,000 Indian workers have applied for emergency certificates so that they can return home.

According to Akbaruddin about 150 Saudi employers need Indian workers. Last time about 30,000 emergency certificates were issued to Indian expatriates, out of which only 3,000 returned home.